August 15, 2011

So says Wisconsin recall candidate Kim Simac, as quoted in a Capital Times editorial titled "Unlike Simac, Holperin respects the whole Constitution." (Jim Holperin is the Democratic incumbent, representing the Northwoods, where a recall election will take place tomorrow.)

The quote is sound, and I'll bet a lot of people of the Northwoods love it, but the Cap Times is using it to leverage a whole theory that Simac only cares about the Second Amendment.

The pathetic Madison newspaper — does anyone in the Northwoods read it? — begins by joking that Simac is "apparently a graduate of the Sharron Angle School of Constitutional Scholarship" and reminds us that Angle — the Nevadan who tried to unseat Harry Reid in 2010 — once referred to using “Second Amendment solutions” to deal with the excesses of government. Note, Simac didn't say "Second Amendment solutions." Her quote is about defending life and property from "aggressors," which would make most people think of criminals — attackers and home invaders. If "aggressors" makes you think of the government... you might want to think about joining the Tea Party yourself.

The Cap Times touts Holperin's "record of taking the whole Constitution seriously."

He has championed the right to speak, to assemble and to petition for the redress of grievances.

Is there any evidence that Simac doesn't respect First Amendment rights? Of course, Holperin has a record: He's been the Northwoods senator for decades. But what has Simac ever done to deserve this smear?

He has worked to protect the right to privacy.

Now, that's a specific aspect of constitutional law that conservatives and liberals disagree on. But it has nothing to do with "the Sharron Angle School of Constitutional Scholarship" and whether one loves some clauses of the Constitution and ignores others. It has to do with how expansively one ought to interpret the Due Process Clause and whether one supports finding constitutional rights when there is no explicit constitutional text. That's a difficult area of constitutional law that is a perennial issue in American political debate. It has nothing to do with Sharron Angle, enthusiasm for gun rights, and the failure to respect the entire Constitution.

The Capital Times — I've said it before — is a rag. It should be ashamed of itself. As we say in Wisconsin: "Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame."

100 comments:

Isn't it obvious? It's the same reason the left hates Palin, Bachmann and you. women who do not line up lockstep with their agenda are inconvenient, and must be dealt with makes the in a) Whatever way makes them shut up and b)Discourages other women from making the same "mistake."

William T. Evjue, founder of The Capital Times, once wrote "the public interest always must be placed above private interest." Modern day followers of Evjue have confused public interest with public sector union interests. It's really that simple of a corruption.

If you're going to make an argument of the form "unlike their guy, who only believes in A, ours believes in A, B, and C", it doesn't do you a bit of good to quote their guy asserting A. You need to quote their guy denying B and C. That editorial was so shoddy that even J might be ashamed to have written it.

If you're well armed, it is a lot easier to protect your printing press, web server, etc. and thus your ability to effectively exercise your right to free speech.

Standing in the woods, sharing your political opinions with the trees is a valid exercise of your 1st Amendment Right, but if you can share your opinions with lots of like-minded and persuadable citizens, then it becomes a much more effective exercise, and that sharing requires property - money and goods - and sometimes that property requires defending.

She strikes me as another one trick pony, even Wil Losch, the Libertarian candidate finds her only a "conversational narcissist". As for the Cap Times being a rag, perhaps, but they also have given better in-depth coverage to a number of issues. One that stands out is this article by Finkelmeyer: Power grab: Is UW’s involvement in providing Internet access an invaluable public good?

The timing of this editorial was not so great. The London rioting has highlighted the idiocy of relying solely upon "law enforcement" for personal protection, the same with the Wisconsis State Fair attacks. And Simac's statements are completely mainstream in the US.

What is scarier to people, Simac's statements, or being helpless in the face of a mob?

The Cap Times has always been reliably anti-gun for as long as I can remember. Pacifist too. Bill Evjue only reluctantly got behind the armed opposition to Hitler. It took the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor to get him on board. But that's ancient history. Just look at the Cap Times' more recent history regarding gun legislation.

even Wil Losch, the Libertarian candidate finds her only a "conversational narcissist

Because Wil Losch isn’t going to be a candidate for the Senate is he? He’s an “Also-Ran.” Why don’t you ask some Democrats about the Republican, too, R-V? I’m sure they’ll have some unbiased impressions, as well.

My friend in Holperin's district said he's knocked on at least 700 doors, and told me he didn't think it would be as close as people are saying. That's less than half the sample from PPP, but it seems to confirm.

Kim Simac gets to address Madison's inane cop misdirections ... And, she gets this where at least hundreds and thousands come. Some who will be voting on Tuesday!

It's the best media! (Meade-ia)

Because it doesn't cost Kim Simac one read cent. She didn't have to "dial for dollars" to get her campaign tooting along.

I HOPE SHE WINS!

YAY!

Glad she's seen!

Glad she didn't have to dip into her own bank account ... or even ask others for money.

Though she should.

(By the time "O" gets to meet his competition ... as we draw closer to November 2012) ... I want to see someone clever ... Doing a DUMP TRUCK button. With a feel of 3-dimentions. Doesn't have to cost a fortune. But it will say across the side: "DUMP-O"

"ONE NATION" CLEANING SERVICE.

And, I hope Kim WINS on Tuesday. So she can see all this political business FROM THE INSIDE!

Its editorial slant didn't help, but what really killed it was that it was published in the afternoon. Are there any afternoon papers anymore?

That was stipulated at the time when the two papers merged their production facilities into Madison Newpapers Inc, (MNI) back in 1948 IIRC. At the time, the afternoon publishing time was considered plum because reporters had all day to write up the day's news. The Cap Times lost that gamble going forward in time. They would have changed to a morning paper, but that would have meant dissolving MNI which only came into being as a cost savings for both papers.

You snark at the capitalist media whores you HAVE, not the capitalist media whores you WISH you had.

It has been educational to see crowded media scrums of Tea Party events that match or even dwarf their actual attendance, faithfully carrying their messages forward, even as they become ever more unpopular. If there's one thing Ye Olde M$M is adept at it's following elite money.

PROTIP: That the Tea Party bases its goals on a menu of false threats from the government does not in any way magically eliminate the very dire, very real threats the government contains, just as 9/11 Truthers do not magically discredit all state conspiracies by virtue of erring in regards to the one event they've chosen as a totemic fetish, no matter how hilariously or egregiously they may err. In fact, some might argue that those with vested interests in keeping the full account of said event obscured could do little better in terms of organizing & executing a psyop than to instigate, finance & direct something exactly like Teh WAEKUPSHEEPLEZ 9/11 Really Real Truth At Last Judean People's Front.

"Odd the NRA endorsed Holperin instead of Simac with her staunch 2nd amendment advocacy. Wonder what that's all about."

Why is that odd? Obviously, Holperin supports gun rights too. It's mentioned in the editorial, and how could he have been state senator from that district all these years if he didn't support gun rights?

Holperin disrespected the majority of voters in WI that put the majority in place and wanted the work to be done. Holperin respected democracy for himself, but by leaving the state no citizen was able to speak to him freely, request a grievance be addressed in his presence, or...at this is the goofy's thing to me...or have access to the group of Dems, which seemed to be such a big deal, when the Progs/Dems couldn't get in the chambers during the hearings or debate. How could they get in to hear the Dems if they weren't there, that was the most "closed" meeting behavior I've ever seen...take it to another state. WTF can make sense of that.

John Nicoles at the Cap Times are a Soros machine. He really sold his soul when he became joined at the hip with MSNBC's Ed "the screamer" Schulz outside the capitol on election night. News journolists, spelling intended, spewing propaganda. They made Bernie Madoff look clean.

Garage--keep me posted--I am pretty flexible when I go to lubbers, but almost always in May--I will introduce to you dock fishing at night for mutton snapper wherein kalik beer (bahamas beer and good) and gin and tonics are consumed while waiting for the fish to bite--great fun.

Garage--indeed--some guys at Paul and Robbie's caugh 22 of their dock (right next door) in the week they were there--The mutton snapper come in off the reefs to spawn inshore in may and are most active at night--not as good as walleye (but what is?) but awfully good eating.

I would take snapper over walleye, although I can't speficially remember eating a mutton, but I'm sure we caught a few wreck fishing. Lots of reds and yellowtails though. You use squid? I bet baitrunner spinning reels are perfect for that.

I really had the urge to go now, I was going to call them up and see what was [still] biting, then decided against. I'll call them up though this week and get the skinny on all the particluars. Cannot effing wait!

Muttons are great but there are also some good size mangrove snapper that are active at night--all good. Yellowtails are my fave but they are usually on the reefs. Also lane and schoolmaster snapper all good.

Squid works, but dolphin skin is the best because its tough and the little guys can't eat it up before the big ones move in. Bait is not a problem. I use 8 pound test spinning gear but with a 12 inch shock leader--just enough weight to sink it--I have lost some big fish with the light tackle, but its a hell of a lot more fun. Sometime the rays or sharks pick up your bait and head south and theres nothing you can do.

garage--have tied up the professors blog with the fishing stuff--I will email you on your private email and give you the full particulars about lubbers including a word about a good bonefish flat on the west side of the cay. check your private email tomorrow

The world's largest and most comprehensive shooting range opened in North Las Vegas.

The massive range and support facilities cost $60 million to construct.The world’s largest and most advanced shooting range officially opened today in North Las Vegas with a host of dignitaries. The $60 million Clark County Shooting Park is both large and comprehensive, designed to attract not only locals, but shooting enthusiasts from around the world.Nevada’s politicians came to praise the facility along with the NRA, National Rifle Association.Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke today at the opening ceremony for the Clark County Shooting Park. Reid was instrumental in securing land and more than $60 million in funding for the park.

@ScottM: I had to roadtrip from Missouri to Illinois (the last holdout without CCW) last week and pulled over just shy of a bridge over the Mississippi to secure my weapon in a vault mounted under the seat.

Were you traveling TO Illinois, or THROUGH Illinois? It makes a difference, because the FOPA (Firearms Owners' Protection Act) protects you from prosecution only if the gun is legal for you to possess at both ends of your interstate trip. I don't know Illinois law well, but given all their other regulations, it seems highly likely that you would need an Illinois firearm owner ID card to be legal.